Student artwork on display at State Library

A group of RMIT University students are working together to create a series of artworks on hoardings to be installed at State Library Victoria’s front entrance in spring.

As part of the library’s Vision2020 project, hoardings will be put up at its Swanston St entrance in September when construction starts to transform the iconic building.

Around 30 students from RMIT’s architecture, fashion and textile design and communication design disciplines are participating in the program to help design a 30-metre-long hoarding artwork for the State Library.

Dr Jan van Schaik, tutor at RMIT’s school of architecture and urban design, is leading his students to collaborate on this project.

“The artwork can really activate a construction site and in a public space like the State Library’s forecourt, it’s both activating the space and explaining why there’s such a change,” Dr van Schaik said.

“The artwork will present something interesting and also communicates positively about the change,” he said.

His students, Yiling Shen, Inneka Moorhouse and Nick Jumara are also part of the curator team.

“The library is located in the university precinct of the CBD. RMIT is the main inhabitant of this precinct and many of the library patrons are also students. So an artwork created by student conveys the idea that the State Library is for the community,” Mr Jumara said.

The hoarding will be in place for one year and the artwork will be changed quarterly to reflect different themes.

“The physical materials of the hoarding will be defined by the construction company. But the conceptual, intelligent and artistic materials will be sourced by the students,” Dr van Schaik said.